In very fine condition, nickel with black finish, parallax correction lever in meter, engraved “Ernst Leitz Wetzlar 13.5 cm”, red maker’s box marked “Leitz Sportsucher für Objektiv 13,5 cm Syeoo”.

LITERARTUR E James L. Lager (ed.), Leica Illustrated History, Vol. III, 1998, p. 35 (the finder illustrated there is now in the famous WestLicht finder collection); Paul-Henry van Hasbroeck (ed.), Leica, a history illustrating every model and accessory, colour pl. 25.

The folding optical sports viewfinders were first marketed in 1935. Four versions were catalogued in 1936: SAIOO, SEROO, SIZOO and SYEOO for focal lengths of 7.3 cm, 9 cm, 10.5 cm and 13.5 cm. The SIZOO for 10.5 cm may not have been manufactured; to this day, not a single specimen has been found. Almost all folding optical sports viewfinders are finished in chrome, only very few exist in black finish. This specific finder is engraved “13.5 cm”, although the front window and the rear glass are for a black 9 cm SEROO finder. We suppose, as the finish is 100% original black paint with nickel foot and nickel parallax correction lever, the finder is a sample, prototype or mistakenly engraved black 9 cm finder SEROO. Until now only two black SEYOO finders and one black SEROO have been discovered.